Fans and Pros Show Support for Stan Lee With #StandByStan

In just a year, Marvel Comics co-creator Stan Lee has gone from being a shining icon of geek culture, to the central figure in a slowly-unfolding saga of embarassment and ruin. Since Lee lost his wife Joan in 2017, he’s made all the wrong kind of headlines. With reports of family feuding, his inner circle being filled with con artists and criminals, and his health clearly in decline, there’s legitimate reason to be worried about Stan Lee, right now.

As reports of Lee’s troubles have continued to come out, Marvel fans and other celebrity figures have joined a growing chorus of those calling for Lee to get some kind of intervention or help, before it’s too late. Now, that rally cry has evolved into a full-on social media trend, complete with its own hashtag. Scroll below to see the outpouring of love and concern in this #StandByStan movement:

See It For Yourself

As this fan points out, there’s hearing the accounts of Stan Lee’s troubles – and then there’s actually seeing it for yourself. Take a look at a clearly tired Stan Lee, recovering from illness, trying to power through a signing booth at a recent convention. 

Sad and Angry

Most fans are having a simple reaction to all of this: they’re sad about it, and/or angry about it. The end. 

Doom Demands Justice

This Doombot account pretty much delivers a visual expression of what so many fans are feeling right now. It’s also the most relevant thing the Fantastic Four has done in awhile. 

So Say We All

This fan isn’t just expressing his frustration – he’s calling on all Marvel fans to rally and show their support for the man who helped create their beloved universe. 

Creative Rights

This fan points out the sick irony of this Stan Lee situation. After Lee struggled for years to get what fraction of the profits he did for his Marvel creations, that money is being drained fight out of him – including his own blood!

Suit Saviors

This fan seems to think that Disney / Marvel executives are the ones who can save Lee from himself. It’s rare that you hear the notion of corporate executives as a cure-all for life’s ills. But here we are. 

Fan Responsibility

As hard as it is to admit, this fan is completely right. Half of the reason Lee is a target is because of the value he has on the convention circuit. Fans adore seeing Lee in person, and while line up for hours at a time to do so. While the joy of meeting an idol is great, there is a simple choice in front of us, here: part ways with Lee before his death, or after it. 

Celebrity Endorsements

These are just a couple of the comic book / comic book movie industry figures who have publicly spoken out on Lee’s behalf. We expect many other celebs feel the same.  

Outsider Appreciation

Even non-Marvel fans are speaking up. Apparently, you don’t have to be a fan of, or influenced by, Lee’s work to see that an aging celebrity being mistreated in such a way is just plain wrong. 

‘Nuff Said

******

While this whole #StandByStan plays out, Stan Lee himself has just come out to deny claims of his abuse, threatening to sue publications pushing such stories. It’s unclear at this point exactly where the line of truth should be drawn in all this – but it’s very clear that something needs to be done to improve Lee’s health and well-being right now. 

How do you feel about all of this Stan Lee controversy? Do you believe the reports, or do you think they’ve been blown out of proportion? Let us know in the comments!

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is now playing in theaters. Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on April 27, 2018. It is followed by Ant-Man and The Wasp on July 6, 2018, Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019, Avengers 4 on May 3, 2019, the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 5, 2019, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2020.